The 25 year-old American Top Team product meets his biggest opportunity on Saturday when he faces reigning champion Georges St. Pierre at UFC 100.

With thirteen pounds to go, Alves looked relieved, and the UFC felt the same.

“That’s really good for me,” he told MMAWeekly. “Usually I get here (at) 188, 189, and I’m amazed with myself. 183, I’m like whoa. Everybody from the UFC was like, wow, I can’t believe it.”

Alves said a hellish training camp put him on track.

“I’ve just been doing what I’m supposed to do more professionally,” he said. “No cheating on myself, things like that. Before, (it was like), ah, I’m going to skip one day. It would always catch up with me later on. I’d leave everything to the last minute.”

The only remaining challenge is the wait until Satur.

“ It’s gonna be a war,” he said. “Georges St. Pierre, he’s the champion, but I’m going to knock him out. It’s my time.”